Fit to be Queen
by KaptainSarcasm
Summary: Kim Possible, the Democratic governor from Pennylvania, has been nominated by the Democratic party to run for president. Let the campaigning begin! Will contain femmeslash Kigo later on, and I do plan to finish this one eventually.
1. Prologue

Title: Fit to be Queen  
Author: KaptainSarcasm  
Rating: PG for now  
Warnings: Mild cursing, will contain femmeslash later on.  
Disclaimer: I do not own Kim Possible.

* * *

Democratic Governor Kim Possible of Pennsylvania and her entourage of Secret Service bodyguards all filed into the large, cushy living room carrying bowls of popcorn, pretzels, cookies, and cheese curls. The redheaded woman settled onto her couch, grabbing a pillow and pressing it to her chest before kicking off her shoes and folding her legs beneath her. "Take a seat, gentlemen," she said, smiling at them. "Make yourselves at home."

Immediately, the big, buff men plopped themselves in various locations on the floor and on chairs. The bowls of snacks were passed around, and the big-screen television was turned on to CNN. Kim went to a mini fridge in the corner and produced cans of soda for her guests.

"…Of course, there's still an open battlefield here, but statistically, it seems unlikely that the winner will be anyone but Roberts or Wilfred," a political analyst on the television droned. The screen switched back to the lovely blonde woman at the desk, who thanked the analyst, and then she smiled brightly for the camera and began the introduction of the next portion of the program.

"And now, since we will soon be getting to know our Republican candidate, we here at CNN thought we would give you're a little glimpse into our Democratic presidential candidate, Governor Kim Possible of Pennsylvania." The men in the room cheered and hooted loudly, and Kim had the grace to blush and wave their cheers away. Suddenly Kim's high school yearbook photo was filling up the entire screen as the channel launched into their biography. The cheers turned into catcalls and gentle teasing.

Not much had changed about Kim since high school. Still in top physical shape, she had grown maybe another half-inch, but that was it. She kept her hair to her shoulders, always with a certain bounce in it, and never artificially colored. Years of stress and overachieving had given her a few gray hairs, and she wore them with pride. Her body had the gentle curves that would be expected of a 36-year-old woman, her hips and breasts having come in more fully since her world-saving days.

Well, Kim was still saving the world, just in a different way. It had never been within Kim's realm of ability to _not _help people, so when the time had come to pick a career, politics had seemed the best choice. Being the President of the United States, she reasoned, would be the easiest way to gain the power needed to save the world. Not just in the evil genius-fighting way, but in the world hunger-ending way. And so, with the help of her parents and Ron, she had worked hard enough in high school to get into a fantastic college, worked extra-extra-extra hard there and graduated at the top of her class. All the while, all along the way, when people asked, "What do you want to do after college?" she would say, "I want to be President." And no one laughed at her when she said it because she could do _anything_!

Her career path had been rocky at first, spending a number of years at non-prophet organizations dealing with state legislatures, but her work as a "filing clerk" had taught her many things. She went to big political parties, made friends, and exchanged business cards. The thing that pulled her off the ground floor was her ability to make friends, and she made the best friends in high places. Soon she was running for public office, and just as soon, she was winning.

Indeed, Kim had won many elections in her time, but none had been nearly as satisfying as the most recent one. Being elected to represent the Democratic party in the presidential election is, for anyone, a highly amazing honor, but it was especially great for Kim. She had not only won, but she had won by a margin of _twenty-one percent!_ The Democratic party had not been so unified since the days of FDR. Yes, the moment one month before when she had learned of her victory, it had certainly been worth all the trouble, all the pain, all the hard work, all the bargaining and hand-shaking.

Since winning the candidacy, she had been laying low for a month until the vote for the Republican candidate, her opponent. The two likely candidates, Jack Roberts and Shannon Wilfred, were both pushovers in her opinion. Most political analysts agreed with her, too. Neither of them had a strong enough presence, a background as well-rounded and impressive as Kim's, or even a drive as firm as hers. Put against either of them, Kim felt that, unless something absolutely terrible and unpredictable happened, she would win the presidency without fail.

As she looked around at the Secret Service men, she smiled in half amusement. While she had known ahead of time about the intensity of the security forced upon the president and presidential candidates, she had not known of the sheer loyalty of these men. Each one of them loved her and fully supported her, and would willingly take a bullet for her, not just because it was their job. She had been talking to one of bodyguards, John, and he had said, "We had to take a test to see who was the most politically aligned. They wanted the guards assigned to you to be the best for your personality." As such, she had been assigned five men who made friends with her right off the bat. Five flamboyantly homosexual men.

Yes, Kim had, over the early course of her career, publicly announced her lesbianism. It had lost her a great deal of the religious right, but she had spent the next three years establishing herself as a firm, moral individual. She had been to church every Sunday morning since she was twenty-six, rain or shine, in sickness and in health. She could not remember the last time that she had said a curse word or a dirty word. Her middle finger remained decidedly un-raised. Finally, with slow, gentle coaxing, she had regained the Conservative's trust, even if she had not gained their complete approval.

The sound of the guards all shushing each other brought Kim quite suddenly out of her musings.

"This just in! We have the results of the Republican vote." A hand appeared from the right side of the screen and passed her a slip of paper. She opened it, looked at it, closed it, cleared her throat, opened it again, closed it again, and looked at the camera. "And the winner is… Shego!"

Kim Possible's soda dropped to the carpet as the words "What the _fuck_!" slipped passed her lips.


	2. 1: Press Conference

Chapter One  
"Press Conference"  
Author's Notes: The episode referenced at the end of this chapter is "Go Team Go." It's the one where we meet Shego's brothers. Enjoy the chapter.

* * *

Chaos erupted in the spacious living room. Within seconds, one of the guards had whipped out a cell phone and was already speaking with representatives from the Republican party. Two others had joined a third on the couch, the one who Kim was closest with, Dave, letting his arm drape around his boss's shoulder. The last guard was kneeling on the floor by Kim's feet, a hand on her knee, saying consoling things. "Don't worry," he cooed. "We'll find out what's going on. We'll know who this 'Shego' character is in no time."

Kim snorted at this. "Oh, I know who she is, all right!" She squirmed away from her bodyguards and started pacing the room. The guard on the cell phone, Greg, left the room to hear better and all other eyes were on Kim as she did her best imitation of a caged panther. "She's a ghost! A figure from my past!" She slammed her fist into a wall, startling the room's occupants. "I should have known! I should have known she would never give up!"

Greg chose that moment to re-enter the room. "Intelligence says to sit tight, and to glue yourself to the television. Reporters have first dibs on her."

Reluctantly, Kim re-joined her new friends on the couch, and peace resettled in the room as six pairs of eyes watched raptly as CNN briefed its viewers on the upcoming programming. Sure enough, a press conference with the newly-appointed Presidential candidate was next, just after these messages. As a commercial advertising an antidepressant came on, there was a light knock at the door. Arthur, who was closest to the door, let in Ron Stoppable. A place next to Kim on the couch was immediately made available for the veteran best friend. Through all this, no words were spoken. Everyone was in shock.

Eventually, the press conference came on. Shego stood behind a podium against a plain red background, grinning widely. Time, it appeared, had been soft on her. Her skin was still paler than normal, but not enough so to make anyone want to comment on it. Her hair was still long and luxurious, but it had the beginnings of two white streaks down the sides. They added the wisdom of age to her appearance of youthful sexiness. In fact, her outfit was unusually youthful, consisting of a tight black skirt that ended just above the knees and a dark green blazer that opened on her chest just a fraction lower than they usually do.

But most of all, she looked _good._ She looked happy. Upon first sight of Shego, Kim almost felt that it could not actually be her. Never had Shego looked so enthusiastic before.

Well, except for when she was fighting Kim.

Aside from that, though, she usually had a bored, aloof appearance about her, but now… Now she seemed to be paying full attention to everything around her.

"Probably because everything around her is paying full attention to _her!_" thought Kim bitterly.

Ron shook his head, disbelieving. "It's really her, isn't it?"

"It appears so," replied Kim shortly. Then the interview began.

"How do you feel about this nominee, Governor Shego?" asked the man from the _Washington Post_.

Shego shrugged. "Good, I guess." The crowd murmured uneasily. Shego then laughed raucously and slammed her hand on the podium. "I feel fucking fabulous, you dork! I'm runnin' for President!"

The room erupted in laughter and cheers, but then dissolved into more questions for Shego. "Where did you _come_ from?" asked one reporter, and everyone murmured their interest in the question.

"The internet! You'd be surprised how many voters hang around yaoi forums. I just got 'em all to vote for me. Honestly, I'm surprised no one's taken advantage of them before." She paused. "That's not what I mean." She grinned sheepishly. "You guys know what I mean."

Awkwardly, the press conference continued when a young man asked, "Rumor has it that you used to fight Governor Possible in her crime fighting days. Is this true?"

"It is. I was the sidekick to a man named Dru Lipsky, or as I knew him, Dr. Drakken. You can look him up in the records—I believe he's been jailed permanently, most likely by" her smile turned sneaky and venomous, "Governor Possible." She snorted, then added, "Or as I knew her, _Kimmie_."

Again the room murmured at her answer, and the next question shouted out was, "Have you been in prison?"

Shrugging, Shego said, "Sure! Plenty of times. I was bad. Real evil and all that. But then I went to Hawaii and fell in love with the state and this country, and now I feel that I have a calling. And politics is that calling.

"I expect that a lot of you will be suspicious of me, but," she leaned in towards the microphone, and she looked straight into the camera; the entire world seemed to be sucked into her gaze, "I promise you, America, I _will_ make you trust me. Not a single one of you won't trust me by the end of this election." And then she laughed lightly and the moment was broken. She added, "Lucky you guys! That means you're all going to get _exactly_ what you want."

"That's quite a promise," said a familiar voice from the press room, and Kim knew it was Monique. Monique had also found herself interested in politics, but only from an outsider's perspective. As such, she had worked her butt off to get good grades and still make enough money for her parents to let her take out a loan to go to an Ivy league college. There, she had worked her butt off even more, got an internship at CNN, and then was hired by the place she had interned at right after graduation. From there, she could only go up, and soon she became a top reporter who was sent for every small, intimate press conference with important politicians. Kim had been asked questions at conferences by her several times. Monique was doing fabulously. She had a great apartment in Washington, D.C. Kim had seen it only once, though. She had otherwise been too busy to visit. Monique did not get shown on camera, but it was easy to tell that Shego and Monique recognized each other, and knowing Monique, Shego could bet that she wouldn't pull her punches. "Having seen you in action several times while in the presence of Governor Possible, I do not think there will be any way I can be convinced that you are not evil. And I think a lot of people in the country would agree, a lot of people who you hurt or harmed in some way. And to be honest with you, Governor Shego, I think it's arrogant of you to ask them to trust you. Not after all the horrible things you did to them."

Through all this, Shego's face remained the same; she stood there casually, a small smile on her face, not appearing to mind at all that Monique was trying to ruin her candidacy. "Well, it's true, I've done a lot of bad things in my time; I've already admitted that to you! And I did it of my own volition. And, I even admit, I sometimes enjoyed it. But the fact is, I'm _not_ evil. I was _never _evil. I was just… misguided. I was bored! I had nothing to do with this world, with this life. There was nothing I wanted to do. I went through college and got my degree in political science, but that didn't seem to interest me. I was wrong, though." She shook her head, brushed back a strand of hair. "I was looking at things the wrong way. You see, I wanted instant gratification. I wanted the easy life. But now, I'm ready to do my part. I want to work hard. But I've never made the really big decisions by myself, so I'm gonna need you all to help me. I've got myself an awesome staff, some great allies, and I think I'm set to be the one in charge, but I still might need a hand every once in a while. So that's why you should vote for me, because I _will_ accomplish things for you."

Kim and Ron both sat there in shock. Misguided? Not evil? Somehow that didn't seem like Shego. But at the same time, Kim almost felt compelled to believe her. There had been many times at which Kim had felt Shego might not be evil, particularly the time she had spent with the woman and her brothers. At that time, she had not seemed so much evil as… Grumpy.

Not to mention the fact that she threw the fight.

Oh, she could claim to have slipped up all she wanted, but Kim knew. Kim could tell. Shego had meant to lose that fight. _Why_, though, was anyone's guess. Possibly she wanted her brothers to have their powers back. But something told Kim that that was not the case. More likely, it seemed, Shego had just wanted to go back to Dr. Drakken. Be with Dr. Drakken where she was sure to fail, but sure to get a great fight with Kim before she did. It was foolproof. And it also supported what Shego had just said: Boredom was her motivation.

Cold settled over Kim as she thought, "If she's not lying, then we're exactly the same. We both took up politics because we wanted to be challenged.

"But now will Shego challenge me like she did before? It appears she intends to. But will the people like her? Can she really gain their trust?"

Kim let out a really loud noise of frustration and put her hands in her hair. "I just wish I knew what she was thinking!" she grumbled.

Ron put a supportive hand on his friend's back. The years looked pretty good on Ron, too. Once his metabolism started to catch up with him, he decided that it was time to work out a bit more. Plus he was tired of always getting dumped—hell, Kim dumped him and became a lesbian. But Ron refused to think about that. Instead, he thought about how he was creeping up on forty years old and was still very, very single. To be honest, he was beginning to be afraid that one morning he might wake up and look exactly like his father. And so, he kept his hair decidedly well-groomed.

"Just turn it off," Kim sighed, flopping back onto the couch and letting her head rest on Ron's shoulder. "I don't need to see any more."

Silence prevailed in the room for a short while. "So what are you going to do, KP?" Ron asked finally.

"The only thing I can do, Ron. The same thing we always do. Fight. I'm going to fight Shego, just like always." She stood, her expression one of pure determination. "Except this time, we're on _my_ turf."


	3. 2: Campaigning

Chapter Two  
"Campaigning"

* * *

Politics, Kim had learned over the years, is as much of a battlefield as an evil villain's lair. When in the business of politics, one has to watch every step, every word, every _look_ that they put out. As such, Kim's every step, word and look were carefully planned by a team of campaign managers. Each week is spent planning the next. Early Monday mornings, Kim was pulled into a special room in her campaign bus and briefed on what was to come. 

Campaigning had officially begun. Now that each party had a candidate, the race was underway. Kim felt her old competitive spirit returning, as it did every time she ran for public office.

Her first stop on her campaign tour was in her home state of Pennsylvania, where she was to visit an inner-city Philadelphian elementary school. A book was selected based on author's support—one particular author had donated a valiant sum of money to her campaign, and as a favor in return, she endorsed his book with a public reading.

The campaign bus pulled up to their destination at 7:55 AM, just as planned. It was important for Kim's location and timing to be carefully monitored. That way she was never in one place for too long, and it helped reduce the chance that she be harmed in any way. Secret Service agents had already combed the scene and were now prowling about, manning stations in hallways, behind trees, and on rooftops. Kim couldn't see them, but she knew they were there. Her five personal Agents flanked her, one just in front of her, one at either side, one behind her, and one floating around for extra perimeter monitoring. This was a formation that was quite familiar to Kim, having been subjected to it for the better part of a month already.

One reason she liked it was because it shielded her from the cameras for just a few valuable seconds. She used this time to straighten her skirt, check her jacket's buttons, run a hand through her impeccable hair, wipe her slightly sweaty palms on the insides of her pockets, and finally, take a deep breath and place her "Presidential smile" in place. To the nation, when she finally stepped into the school and greeted the press, principal, teachers, and children, she was the picture of confidence.

She allowed her charisma to take over, smiling and exchanging firm handshakes with everyone she met, daring herself to blink against the bright flashes from the hundreds of cameras all pointed right at her. This, she knew, was the hard part. Once she was seated with the children, she could relax a bit—she didn't need _their_ vote, after all.

Finally, she was settled in the stool, and a book was handed to her as if out of nowhere. The room became deadly silent except for the occasional camera shutter and shifting of the children on the rug. For just a moment, Kim was certain she was going to mess up, going to crash and burn. She was sure that the kids hated her, that they were only interested in getting through this to get their milk and cookies and go home.

But then her usual confidence returned, and she stuck out her tongue at her miniature audience, accompanying it with a crossing of the eyes.

The children burst into giggles at her silliness.

The rest of the morning was a breeze.

As she exited the building, she was again flanked by her guards and led back into the bus. It was exactly 9:05 AM, just as planned.

* * *

Much, much later in the evening, Kim, Ron, and Rufus the third were in Kim's bus-bedroom, laying on their stomachs and enjoying as much junk food as they could get their hands on. Their eyes were glued to the television screen, where the lovely blonde anchor on CNN was speaking in pleasant tones. 

"And on the political forefront, campaigning kicked off in earnest today, with both Governors Shego and Possible making trips to elementary schools, as well as charity functions later in the day." The screen flashed to Kim reading to the children, who were all rapt and smiling. Rufus and Ron hooted and whistled, and Kim grinned lopsidedly at them. "Governor Possible won the hearts of inner-city Philadelphia, choosing to start her campaign tour in her home-state of Pennsylvania, which also happens to be one of the largest swing states in the nation." Then the screen showed Shego, and Ron dropped his cheese curl.

There was Shego, wearing a business suit and Nike sneakers, playing kickball with a gaggle of screaming, laughing kids.

"Governor Shego visited Iowa City, taking a different path with her campaigning. She engaged the children in a rousing game of kickball; here she is shown 'at bat.' Governor Shego's team lost, unfortunately, with a score of eight to five. Afterwards, the press managed to ask her a few questions."

They flashed to Shego drinking from a water bottle, sweating quite a bit and apparently still out of breath. "Governor Shego! Governor Shego! Is this the type of campaigning we can expect from you in the future?"

Shego raised one eyebrow, looking amused, and answered, "If you mean, do I intend to play kickball with a bunch of rugrats every day, I would have to say no." She grinned roguishly into the camera.

"This is a highly unusual display, Governor Shego. Can you comment on your motivations for doing this?"

As she sat on a bench to untie her sneakers and replace her high-heels, Shego answered, "Well, I'm sure we've all read reports on how inactive kids are today, and as someone who prides herself on her physical fitness, I just thought I'd share a little bit of that with the kids. Maybe now they'll go out and ride their bikes or something instead of sitting around watching the tube." She straightened up, shoes replaced, put her hands on her knees and stared straight into the camera. "In fact, if any of you kids out there are watching this, go turn of the television and play outside. It's fun, I promise."

The picture went back to the blonde reporter sitting behind the desk, and she smiled sweetly. "The polls, when taken late last night, were strongly tipped in Governor Possible's favor, but today are showing a slightly more level playing field after Governor Shego's unusual take on campaigning. Now we go to…" Ron turned off the television and turned to look at his best friend.

Kim's head was buried in her hands. "This is insane. I can't believe her." She lifted up her head and stared at the now-blank TV, as if expecting it to come back on and say, "JUST KIDDING!" But it did not, and Kim sat up on her knees, looking around her for something to clutch. She settled on her pillow. "Why is she doing this? Is she doing this just to get under my skin? Is she trying to draw me out for another fight?"

Ron did not offer any input, instead choosing to lightly scratch Rufus's chin.

Leaning back against the wall of the bus, Kim glared into space. "Well, I'm not going to let her. I'm going to stay the course. At this rate, she's bound to mess up at some point. Better to just play it safe for now." She nodded, as if to cement her own agreement to this plan.

* * *

For the next month and a half, Kim thought of nothing but two things: Campaigning and Shego. Every morning, she woke and jumped out of bed, thinking about her plans for the day while turning on the television to CNN, hoping for news of Shego's whereabouts. The two's paths had been dancing around each other; First Kim went to the west coast, and Shego to the east. Then Kim went to Texas and Shego to Michigan. Then Kim went to Iowa and Shego to Pennsylvania. They campaigned hard in the swing states, trying to garner as much support as possible. 

Kim barely ate. Her sleep was wracked with dreams of her dark-headed opponent, dreams about her winning and ruining the country, nuking China, and insulting the French on international television. When these dreams invaded her brain, she awoke, anxiety-ridden and covered in sweat, and started to plan her next campaign move, trying to outdo Shego without endangering her own integrity.

Shego's campaign was an explosive success. She had been doing unexpected things all around the country; assisting a construction team on an inter-state highway in Michigan, playing a game of shuffleboard with a retirement community in Pennsylvania, challenging the head of the trucker's union to a game of poker at a rest stop in Idaho. And all along the way, she talked to the press like they were her best friends, laughing and joking. Her charm had won over a good portion of the country, and her approval ratings were steadily rising.

Kim was pulling her hair out. Soon every campaign move was against Shego, almost attempting to subtly attack her. She visited a prison in Texas, as if to say, "Here's one place where I outrank Shego." She attended the opening of a new police station in Iowa, sending the message that she was closely involved with the law enforcement community.

Ron was worried. Kim was becoming almost crazed. When he saw her, she asked him how he was, then proceeded to ask him if he had heard the latest about Shego. Now, Ron had no objections whatsoever to talking about Kim's campaign, but it would be nice to hear about some of the things _she_ had done, _not _Shego. But that was only when he saw Kim. Most of the time she was out on the campaign trail, schmoozing and shaking hands.

Rufus agreed with his best buddy. He hoped that they could find a way to make Kim slow down, relax, and refocus. Perhaps cheese would help?


	4. 3: A Meeting in an Official Capacity

Chapter 3  
"A Meeting in an Official Capacity"

* * *

The evening was frigid and clear, the setting sun casting odd shadows all along the walkway into the upscale hotel where the President of the United States of America was having his 52nd birthday party. As Kim and Ron made their way up the path, however, after climbing out of the limousine, the shadows were dispelled by the flashing of camera lights.

"I don't like this publicity stuff, KP," muttered Ron out of the corner of his mouth to the woman on his arm. Ron had only agreed to go to this shindig because Kim couldn't show up without a date and the only other alternative had been getting in touch with some well-known actor and enlisting him for the job. The last time Kim had agreed to go with a handsome movie star to an upscale political event, he had ended up having too much to drink and attempted to cop a feel on the way home. Kim managed to get him off, of course, but when Ron heard about the incident, he had vowed never to let Kim go out with some stranger again.

And so he found himself sporting the finest tuxedo money could rent with one of the most beautiful women he had ever laid eyes on. Kim looked absolutely stunning in her shimmering red dress, hair elegantly curled in a style that Ron knew had taken the better part of three hours to prepare. The end result, though, was well worth the wait.

"I know you don't, Ron, but please just bear with me." She raised a hand to wave to the press, already having the hang of the whole affair. "It will be better once we get inside, I promise."

As soon as they stepped into the ballroom of the hotel (after the security checks, of course), Ron knew Kim was right. From wall to ornate wall, the room was brimming with old money, old men, and beautiful ladies. "Kim…" began Ron.

"It's okay. Stick with me and you'll be fine."

They walked further into the room, immediately greeted by a penguin-suit outfitted caterer who handed them both a glass of the finest Champaign in the District of Columbia. Kim sipped hers delicately, and Ron drained his in one gulp, grabbing another before the caterer had a chance to get away. Kim rolled her eyes at him just as they were approached by one of the senators from California. "Good evening, Governor Possible. You look absolutely radiant, if you don't mind my saying so," he said by way of greeting.

Kim had the good grace to smile kindly at him and answer, "But of course I don't mind, Senator Andrews. I enjoy a good compliment as much as the next politician." The senator chuckled at her joke. "May I introduce you to my date for the evening? Senator Andrews, this is my friend Ronald Stoppable. Ron, this is Senator Clarence Andrews. Senator Andrews recently put out a statement of support for my campaign." She watched as her friend and the politician shook hands, pleased with how Ron was handling himself so far. His handshake was firm, and he looked directly into the man's eyes. "I don't think I've had the chance to thank you yet."

"Oh, I assure you, there is nothing to thank me for. How has your campaign been coming along, as long as we're on the topic?" he asked, sipping his own glass of Champaign.

They continued to converse for as long as was polite before moving on, only to be stopped again, this time by a woman who Kim introduced to Ron as the president of the AARP. As they discussed funding proposals, Ron leaned down to Kim's ear and whispered, ever-so-quietly, "Shego's here."

Stiffening, Kim excused herself from the conversation politely under the pretense of attempting to locate the President. Instead, she led Ron to stand slightly behind a large fern, where she was able to stare openly at her candidate.

It was the first time Kim had seen Shego in the flesh for over twenty-five years. She looked different in many ways, but still, other things were exactly the same. She looked positively amazing. She looked fit to be queen. Her eyes had more pronounced crinkles at the corners, proudly displayed now as she smiled her greetings to whoever she was talking to. Everything else about those eyes were exactly the same, though, still that fiery emerald green that glowed when she was doing something she loved; Kim remembered seeing that glow many times while they were locked in combat. She still moved with the grace of a fighter, commanding every part of her body the same way she commanded the attention of those around her, drawing people in and keeping them there. The long, deep green dress she wore did nothing to hide her amazing curves, and Kim knew that the muscles that had been barely covered by the spandex of her green suit in her youth were still present on her lithe body.

As Kim and Ron watched, she moved slowly around the ballroom, stopping to chat with many people, as Kim herself had done. It was odd seeing her act this way, as though she really belonged in this room, talking to the leaders of the country and, in fact, on her way to becoming one. And even though Kim didn't want to admit it to herself, she did look genuinely happy, and certainly did not look as though she was planning to take over the world.

After a few minutes spent behind the fern regaining her balance, she led Ron back to the floor, immediately immersing herself in the business of greeting.

Ron, not being part of the actual event, was able to get a good outsider's view of the whole situation. Kim looked frazzled. Seeing Shego had thrown her off, and he knew it. She would never admit to it, though. She was too stubborn to admit that Shego got to her, made her uncomfortable in more ways than just suspicion.

He didn't know what would happen to Kim if Shego won the presidency, and he had a feeling Kim didn't either. She might resign from her position as governor of Pennsylvania, but she also might see that as giving up. She might even attempt to run again in four years, but he didn't know if she would be able to handle being defeated _again_.

From where he was standing, it looked as though Kim had no choice but to win.

Watching as Shego made a wide circle of the room, he noticed that she was with a strapping gentlemen who followed her every step, but did not appear to be paying very close attention to whatever conversation his date was having. It occurred to Ron that he, too, was probably just a cover date, someone to look nice on Shego's arm while she made her appearance at the party.

Eventually, Kim and Ron reached the center of the room, where Ron suddenly found himself in the presence of the most powerful man in the free world: The President of the United States of America. "Good evening Mr. President," Kim greeted politely, smiling her charming smile at the old man.

President Thomas Starter responded with a smile of his own, reaching out to delicately kiss the back of Kim's hand. "Ah, Governor Possible. It is good to see you again."

"And the same to you, sir. Happy birthday."

"Do not say that to me. The more people say that to me, the more I come to realize how very old I've become." He and Kim shared a laugh at this. "Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend, or is he the strong and silent type?"

Placing a hand on Ron's forearm, she quipped, "Ron is neither strong nor silent." She smiled at Ron to show her affection for him, then introduced him. "This is my best friend Ron Stoppable. Ron, this is President Thomas Starter."

"I gathered," Ron finally managed to say. He shook hands with the president, hoping his palms weren't too sweaty. "It's very nice to meet you, Mr. President."

"Likewise, Mr. Stoppable. I'm sure any friend of Miss Possible here must have some very fine qualities, regardless of strength or volume." He winked a twinkling blue eye at him, and Ron found himself grinning.

The president was a very charismatic man. He must have been, Ron thought, in order to win the presidency.

"How has the campaign been coming along? I understand there was quite a shock surrounding Governor Shego's nomination." The president accepted a mini hotdog from a waiter who offered it to him.

"Yes, well, I never quite expected to have any encounters with Governor Shego again, particularly not in a professional capacity." Shaking her head slightly, Kim muttered, "She never really struck me as the political type."

"Ah, but Miss Possible, there are many out there would be very quick to tell you that politics and organized crime have much in common." A very tall man, obviously a secret service agent, leaned down to whisper something in the president's ear, and he nodded up at him. "And now if you'll excuse me, I have some business to attend to. My wife is requesting a dance." With one more smile and a wink, he was gone.

The night progressed smoothly. Kim and Ron danced a few times, giggling at old high school memories, and they enjoyed the fabulous food at the buffet.

But Kim's attention was divided between everything that was going on around her and Shego, who was still meandering around the room, talking to the guests and seemingly enjoying herself. Kim watched as her opponent spoke with President Starter, laughing and smiling along with the old man. It appeared that his affections did not just linger with Kim.

After a dance with Ron, Kim excused herself to use the ladies room. As she walked down the hall, she felt a cool breeze move across her bare shoulders, cooling her slightly overheated skin. Looking to her right, she noticed a balcony that overlooked a pond. She decided to step outside for a few minutes and enjoy the view. Placing her elbows on the railing, she leaned against it and looked out over water, admiring the way its surface reflected the stars.

"Heya, Princess," said a voice behind her, startling her. She spun around to face Shego, who was grinning lopsidedly at her. Immediately, Kim dropped into a loose fighting stance, ready to take the fight away from the party if need be. But Shego held up her hands, palms facing Kim, in a gesture of harmlessness. "Woah there, Kimmy. I'm not here to pick a fight."

She advanced forward to stand at Kim's side, Kim warily watching her every move. "What do you want then?" she practically snarled.

"Just to talk." The answer was short but frank, and something about how she said it made Kim believe her. Slowly, she lowered her guard and resumed her former position, this time Shego standing next to her with her arms crossed over each other laying on the rail. "It's been a while, huh?"

"Yeah."

There was a long silence, and then Shego sighed heavily. "Look, Kimmy, I know what you think of me. I know I was a real bitch on wheels back then, but it's different now. _I'm_ different now." Her voice was strong and sure, and even though Kim was hesitant to believe her, she found herself hanging onto every word. "I was never evil. You know that. You must know that. I was misguided and bored, and I thought the only way to live a good life was with Drakken, doing whatever the hell I felt like."

Kim said nothing. Her whole body was still, but her mind was racing. She glared at the reflection of the moon.

"But I came to understand, Kimmy, that the only reason I was having any fun was because of _you_. I was fighting _you_."

Still, Kim did not speak. So it was true, then. Shego was only running because she wanted to beat Kim. This was all about competition.

"But I'm different now."

The conviction in Shego's voice made Kim finally look up, finding herself staring into those green eyes, the same ones she used to watch when they fought. They were filled with the same determination that they always were, only this time… This time she wasn't the focus of that look.

"This isn't about you and me, Possible. This is about you, me, and this country. When I fell down, my country was always there to catch me, and I think it's time I paid it back for all it's given me." She stepped closer to Kim, and Kim had to consciously prevent herself from shrinking away. "I've been watching your campaign very closely. I know what you're trying to do. You're trying to compete against the Shego you used to know, the Shego you used to fight. But it's time for you to give that fight up Kimmy, because that Shego is gone. You've been handling this campaign like I'm your opponent, but I wouldn't treat it any different if it was anyone else that I was running against. You just happened to get in my way." She paused, then added, "Again."

Suddenly, Shego poked Kim quite hard in the chest, and growled her next words. "Step it up, Princess, because I know you can do better than this."

And then she was stepping away, headed back inside the ballroom. As she stood in the doorway, she paused, the light from the hall illuminating her silhouette. She looked back and said simply, "You look good, Kim."

Nodding dumbly, all Kim managed to say was, "So do you."

With a light chuckle, Shego was gone, and Kim was left alone to stand dumbstruck on the balcony, the cool breeze playing with her curls and the moon shining brightly at her back.


	5. 4: Campaign Strategies

Chapter 4  
"Campaign Strategies"

Author's Note: Monique doesn't have a last name in the show so I made one up for her.

* * *

The limo ride home was a solemn affair. Kim leaned her head on Ron's shoulder and allowed her eyes to drift shut, letting the gentle rocking of the vehicle soothe her. Outside, Washington D.C. traffic was making lives difficult, people without homes were freezing on park benches, lumberjacks were cutting down entire forests, massive glaciers were melting at an alarming rate, and Shego was plotting her next campaign move. But none of that reached Kim inside that limo. She focused on her breathing, forcing herself to calm, letting her thoughts return to a more reasonable state.

After Kim had come back inside from the balcony earlier that night, Ron had drilled her for information about what had transpired, but Kim would have none of it. "Not here, not now," she'd hissed. "I'll tell you when we get back to the hotel."

Ron knew better than to continue his inquisitions after that, and had backed off like a good boy. He continued to quietly support her through the rest of the party, letting her introduce him and bop around as needed. Finally, after what seemed like a year, Kim had said that it was time to go home. Offering her his arm, Ron had led Kim back to the limo, where he had held her hand as she ducked down into it. Then he had plopped in after her. Not a word had been spoken since then.

When the limo pulled up to the hotel and Ron helped Kim out, Kim was ready to talk.

First, they spent a good hour or so getting out of their costumes. By the time Ron knocked on the door to Kim's adjoining hotel room, she was in her pajamas, gently massaging her bunny-slipper-adorned feet. Unceremoniously throwing himself onto her bed, Ron said simply, "Spill."

And that was exactly what she did. She told Ron everything that was said on the balcony, speaking but at the same time still trying to dissect it in her head. When she was finished, she sat back in her armchair, chewing on her lip and watching her friend's reaction closely.

"Well," he finally said, very slowly, "what do you think?"

"I think she's full of it!" Kim replied decisively, surprising Ron with her fury. "Of course I'm not treating the campaign like a competition! I've just been doing my own thing, and Shego's been doing hers. I don't know what she's talking about!" Over the course of this tirade, she had gotten up and begun to pace back and forth.

While Ron may still not be the smartest guy in the world, he had learned a few things in his years of growing. In particular, he had learned to really _think_ before he spoke. As such, he sat thinking for several moments before he began his response. "What have we done in the past couple of days?" he asked, meaning campaign activities.

Kim stopped pacing to think about that. "Yesterday we went to a police benefit. The day before that I did a speech at a prison. On Wednesday I did community service…" she trailed off. For a minute she stood stock-still before collapsing into her armchair. "My God," she murmured. "She's right." She leaned forward, putting her elbows on her knees and her head in her hands. "I've been doing things that I feel like she _can't_ do, all because of her criminal history. Ever since I found out she was my opponent, she's all I've thought about. I only step somewhere that I know will have some effect on her." She brought her eyes up to meet Ron's. "I've been a _terrible_ candidate! I wouldn't even vote for me!"

There was a prolonged silence in the room. This new knowledge had knocked Kim off her feet, leaving her completely winded. After a time, Ron felt it was safe to speak. "What will you do?"

The question struck a cord within Kim. The fire returned to her eyes, and she grinned devilishly. "I'll keep on competing, Ron. Of course I will. Only I'll be even _better_ now." She stood, reaching out to pull Ron up with her. "It's time to show this country what I'm made of. I'm not just here to win over Shego, I'm here for the people!" Grabbing Ron's hands, she continued, "It's time to step it up, Ron. Will you help me?"

Ron's answer was immediate: "You'd better believe it, K.P."

"Good! It's time to remind this country who I am. I'm Kim Possible, and I can do _anything_."

* * *

"And now, back to you, Tom."

"Thank you, Glory. Well, the country has seen a real change in Democratic presidential candidate Governor Kim Possible this week. We've seen her do things that she had not previously done. On Tuesday she not only attended, but also competed in a martial arts tournament in Iowa."

A clip was played of Kim fighting a man twice her size, dressed in a traditional fighting gi.

"Governor Possible surprised the nation by not only holding her own, but actually coming in first! She graciously surrendered the first place position, however, to her opponent in the final round." The reporter looked at the camera. "And now we go to campaign analyst Monique Yates. Monique, what do you have to say for Governor Possible's sudden shift in strategy?"

Monique, who sat in front of a blue-screen image of the White House, sat still for a moment as the question came to her ears, then answered, "Well, Tom, I think Governor Possible knew that Governor Shego had come up with a strategy that she was, let's be honest, not matching thus far. The scales have clearly been tipping for the past few weeks, but I think now they should level out more."

"Do you think this shift in attitude will have an effect on the polls?"

Another pause. "Oh, certainly, I do. No doubt. The people want to see a leader who is willing to mold and change as needed, and has the will and determination to do so, and they're definitely going to appreciate this change."

"How do you think Governor Shego will respond to this?"

A wry smile snuck onto Monique's lips. "It's hard to say. She's been pretty unpredictable up to this point, and I wouldn't expect any less from her now."

The anchorman nodded his head as he received the signal to wrap up the interview. "Well, thank you very much for your input, Monique."

"Thank you, Tom."

The man next to the camera signaled to Monique that she was off the air. She took off her earpiece and microphone, let the tech people bustle them away, and let out a deep sigh.

"You go, girl," she thought to Kim.


	6. 5: Call of the Beast

Chapter 5  
"Call of the Beast"

* * *

It was nice, Kim decided, to get all dressed up for fun once in a while. Usually spending hours in front of the mirror was followed by spending hours at some formal event. But not tonight. No, tonight there were no women or gay men bustling around her, fixing her blush and eyeliner. Tonight she would do it all herself. Tonight was, indeed, a night just for herself.

When she had come out of the closet oh-so-many years back, whispers had come to Kim of a secret bar on capitol hill. A bar just for people "like her," which she could only assume meant lesbian politicians (all four of them). This bar, supposedly, was in the basement of a museum. It had taken quite a bit of code-breaking to understand which museum housed this supposed sanctum, but she had finally pieced it together and went to see for herself.

This was many years ago, of course. Kim had not been a patron of the establishment for quite some time. She had been too wrapped up in her career to feed the call of her beast. Being a politician on the rise is not a job that lends itself to finding bedmates very frequently. Most of the people she met tended to be old white men.

"Um, ew," Kim thought to herself, making a gagging motion at her reflection.

Up until recently, she had been fine without any women in her life, but in the last few weeks of campaigning, her libido had refused to be ignored. She craved the attention of a lovely lady. And not just that, she craved the flirtation, the chase, and the satisfaction of a catch. This was unlike her. Something had triggered this desire to become predatory; usually she was perfectly happy to just let things go where they would. But right now, the control was something she hungered after.

With a smirk, she eyed her reflection, having just completed the finishing touches. "Oh yeah," she decided, "I'm hot."

She was escorted down to the limo by Dave, who chatted with Kim about how amazing she looked and the fantastic job she had done on her outfit and hair. As he helped her in he said, "I don't want to see you coming back here alone, you hear?"

"Don't worry, honey, I won't," was the reply.

The drive was short and uneventful. Soon she was making her way past the security guard at the entrance to the basement, who knew her from many years ago and from recent news programs watched on TV. They nodded at each other. The big, metal door was unmarked except for a small sign that said, "The Closet," the very appropriate name for the bar. Taking a deep breath to prepare herself, she opened the door.

Ah, yes, this was familiar, she thought. Lots of lovely women were scattered about the room, talking, laughing, drinking and dancing. The assumption of her youth had been that only politicians would visit this bar, when in fact it was frequented by many members of the bureaucracy, including everyone from grunt workers at non-prophets to the secretary of the Teacher's Coalition. She tried to make a relatively discreet entrance, but one of the women closest to the door spotted her and whispered to her companion, "Kim Possible is here!" Kim knew that it would only be a matter of time before everyone else had heard the news.

She felt stares as she headed to the bartender, some disapproving, some awe-struck, and some very much approving. It wasn't much concern to her; she was used to it.

The bartender approached her as she slid onto a stool. "Big night for politicians in here. What can I get for you, Madam Almost-President?"

Kim raised an eyebrow. "I'll have a glass of white wine, and why is it a big night for politicians?"

"Haven't you heard?"

"Heard what? I just walked in about three seconds ago."

The bartender placed the drink in front of Kim. "Shego's here too," she said simply.

And just like that, every plan and idea that Kim had had for the night went right out the window. Her mouth dropped open and she could barely say the word, "What??"

"Yeah, she's been here for about an hour. She's over there entertaining some, I mean several, ladies."

Kim slowly turned her head in the direction that the bartender had indicated. Sure enough, there sat Shego, dressed to kill, speaking with three women who seemed to be greatly enjoying her company. "Oh my word," she whispered.

Quickly, she whipped back around to hide her face from Shego in case she happened to glance over. She needed time to think about this. Her thoughts raced.

Funny, she thought, how in the past, seeing Shego would have been a signal for a fight. Now, though, she knew that they would have to be civil to each other. And more than that, she knew Shego _wanted_ to be civil. A fight was clearly not what she was after—if she had wanted to fight, they would have fought at the party. This was something that Kim felt quite certain about. What she was not certain about, however, was exactly _how_ civil Shego wanted to be. Should Kim go over and greet her? Or would it be better not to acknowledge her presence?

No, definitely not. No doubt Shego had already seen her. If Shego saw her sitting there and not talking to her, that would almost be like admitting fear or cowardice.

Kim straightened on her stool. That, she determined, would be absolutely unacceptable. Even in her youth she had not been afraid of Shego, and damned if she was now. No, clearly the best, and only, option was to check her hair, smooth down her dress, and take a walk over to Shego's table just to drop a nice little hello.

She didn't walk, though. She _strutted._ Before she knew it, she felt that desire for control again, that beast in her stomach roaring to be let out. And its prey was Shego.

Soon she stood in front of the table and the four women sitting in the booth stopped talking to look at her.

Shego looked magnificent, of course. It would seem she, too, had had no intention of leaving the bar alone tonight. When their eyes met across the table, a smirk made its way onto Shego's lips, although Kim saw no malice behind it. "Good evening, Governor Shego," said Kim very politely. "Fancy meeting you here."

"I could say the same to you, Governor Possible." She paused, then continued, "And it is a good evening, isn't it?" She finally broke eye contact to look at the other three women in the booth. "Ladies, if you'll excuse us for a moment…"

As the other women shuffled off, Shego waved to the seat across from her. "Care to join me?"

Wordlessly, almost obediently, Kim sat.

"So what brings you here?"

Kim chuckled. "I think you know the answer to that question."

"Hmm. Feeding the beast," Shego answered knowingly, and Kim nodded sincerely.

"Shego, I've been very impressed with your campaign thus far. I must admit I wasn't expecting this much of a challenge."

"From me? Oh, Kimmy, of course I would provide you a challenge. Didn't I always?"

Kim smiled and said, as if to herself, "Yes, you did."

There was a pause where Shego just gazed at her, and then she said, "But let's not talk about political matters, okay? This is a bar, not a press conference. Allow me to buy you a drink."

"Sure," was Kim's reply, and it surprised even herself.

Soon they sat across from each other, comfortably sipping drinks. The situation made Kim shake her head and say, "If someone had told me when I was sixteen that I would be sitting at a bar having a drink with you twenty-five years later, I probably would have laughed in their face."

"And that's why people like you and I don't go to fortune tellers." Kim could tell that Shego must have been thinking about something similar by the way she had said that.

"Why's that?"

Shego shrugged. "We're politicians. We need facts. Girls like you and I, we don't just listen to any old gospel and take it as fact. We're too smart for that."

"Why Shego," Kim drawled, grinning a shit-eating grin, "I do believe you just called me smart."

"I did." Kim blinked in surprise at the rather candid answer. "And I've always thought that about you. I just never felt the need to tell you before." She hesitated, then seemed to come to a decision about something. "But I need to tell you now, Kimmy. I think it's important for you to know that I respect you, and that I always have. No one's ever challenged me like you did." She absent-mindedly ran her finger around the rim of her glass as she spoke, and Kim found herself staring at the movement. "After Dr. D got put away and I was out of a job, the part I missed was you. I realized that you and I, we're exactly the same, Kim. We both can get anywhere just by trying. The only difference is that I'd never tried before." She caught Kim's eyes and grinned. "I knew we'd meet again at the top. We're the best. We belong on the top."

Kim found herself grinning back in spite of herself, and she answered, "I know." For a few seconds, they sat there smiling at each other, suddenly feeling like they were old friends instead of old enemies. Eventually Kim shook her head and said, "I respect you too, Shego. Maybe I didn't when I was sixteen, but I've seen now what you can do and how good you are at it. The people love you. It may have taken you twenty-five years, but it looks like you've finally grown up."

"Well," Shego said, "I had to eventually, I guess." She finished the rest of her drink before carefully setting the glass back down on the table. "I should go back to the hotel. It's been one hell of a day." She began to rise.

With a snort, Kim said, "Sure has. Thanks for the drink."

And then Shego gave her her own shit-eating grin and replied, "So not the drama."

After Shego had gone, Kim sat at the booth for a few more minutes, thinking about their conversation. She felt that, all in all, the night had been a success.

Even the beast was quiet.


	7. 6: Swing States

Chapter 6  
"Swing States"

* * *

There is much to consider when one runs for President of the United States of America. The Democratic candidate goes into the running knowing that he or she has a number of states already going in her direction, such as California and Maine. These are the foundations of her electoral votes, and campaigning in those states is very relaxed because the people already like her. But there are a few key states in the USA that do not belong firmly on one side or the other. They have been known to go in different directions at different times, such as Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Florida. This is called a swing state. It was in Virginia, another of these states, where Kim decided to move her campaign tour next.

In accordance with her new campaign strategy, Kim decided to accept an invitation to an annual charity softball game. It was for a good cause (supporting team sports funding), and it also included an invite specifically for Ron, which appealed to Kim. She liked that Ron could take part in one of her "battles;" he so rarely got to back her up any more.

When they arrived at the diamond, the press was not there yet so they decided to warm up with an old sparring pattern they used to use in their college days, once Ron had started to take up fighting. They became greatly absorbed in it, and when they finished, they saw that they had developed an audience—a very large audience at that. It included several cameras. Their privacy for the day had ended.

Also in the crowd was Shego, who applauded politely along with everyone else. As the crowd dispersed, she approached the two and crossed her arms over her athletically-clad chest. "Nice moves. Bit too easy for you though, isn't it, Kimmy?" she said, clearly meaning it as a jab at Ron.

"Hey, I long ago accepted the fact that both you and Kim could kick my ass. I'm not here to dazzle any one," replied Ron, though he was still scowling.

"Well, they say everyone's got to grow up sooner or later." Shego shot Kim a secret little grin with her comment, and Kim felt her toes tingle at it. Shego looked very stunning, dressed in her shorts and tank top. It was athletic wear that she seemed comfortable in, as if she jogged in it every day.

Kim caught herself thinking these thoughts and mentally slapped herself. Shego was NOT stunning. Shego was her opponent for the presidential race. Presidential nominees do not find each other stunning.

"I just came over here to let you know that my team's going to stomp your team into the ground," Shego said conversationally, inspecting her fingernails. Kim snorted in reply.

"You wish! My team's won this competition every year for the past five years. We've got this in the bag."

"But you haven't seen our pitcher yet. It's a demon."

Ron watched this banter with interest. It was similar to the jabs they used to exchange while also trading punches. They were both clearly enjoying themselves. Ron knew that Kim was someone who valued and loved a good challenge, and no one ever challenged her like Shego did. They were both anticipating the upcoming game, excited to start in yet another competition against each other.

"Anyway," Shego finally said, looking suddenly very serious, "Kim, I want this to be a fair fight, okay? So I won't cheat if you don't."

The grin that spread across Kim's face made the sun break through the crowds, or so it seemed to Shego. "You got it, Shego." They shook hands (someone snapped a photo), and then she lightly hit the older woman on the arm. "You've definitely changed a lot."

Shego smiled back, and Kim thought she might have even been blushing a tiny bit. "You haven't changed at all." Then she surprised herself by looking Kim up and down, then amending, "Well, maybe a little bit."

This time Kim was definitely blushing.

Luckily Shego turned to walk away at that moment and did not seem to want to tease her right then. After all, they had a whole afternoon to tease each other.

Shego was her team's pitcher. She took the mound at the top of the first inning and proceeded to strike out two people in a row without breaking a sweat. "I guess you don't have plasma powers without learning how to throw," Kim mused to Ron. As he laughed in return, Shego threw the final required strike of the inning and Kim and Ron grabbed their gloves and took to the field. Ron took his place as catcher and Kim headed to shortstop.

The other team hit balls in their inning, but they were all stopped in some way or another and no runs were scored. The teams switched places again and another two people were lost to Shego's arm.

Kim saw what was happening to her team. They were becoming discouraged already, only at the top of the second inning. Shego had intimidated them from the start and they were beginning to believe she was impossible to hit off of. She was just too good, they thought.

"Watch this, Ron. I'm going to knock one out of the fence," she announced loudly as she stood and picked her bat.

"Go Kim!" he responded with his usual enthusiasm.

As she walked out to the field she knew every eye (human or mechanical) was on her. The thought, far from scaring her away, drew her on. She knew she could beat Shego, and she wanted everyone to believe it too. She reached the plate and tapped her shoe with her bat, trying to look like a professional ballplayer just for the sheer fun of it. As she set up her stance and finally looked at Shego, she saw that the other woman was also pretending to be a professional ballplayer, playing and imagining just as an arrogant child would.

Kim was charmed. She wanted to flash a grin at the woman across the field, but she knew that they were deep in the "game" and she did not want to break character.

As she watched, Shego put her fingers to the brim of her hat, looking down at the ground, spitting, and shuffling her feet. Finally she picked out her stance and sought the eyes of her catcher.

There was a pause, then a shake of the head.

Another pause, then a quick nod.

Slowly, slowly, she pulled back, drew her arm back, then, her body coiling as if it was a spring, she launched her missile in Kim's direction, and Kim's attention left the woman to anticipate its coming.

With all her muscle, Kim swung.

There was a satisfying crack and the ball went flying, way up over the field and into the woods behind. It would not be seen again until three weeks later when a lucky young explorer found it, and having no way of knowing that it was Presidential Candidate Kim Possible's home run softball, took it home and gave it to his dog.

The way that Kim trotted around the bases, grinning hugely the whole time as her team and most of the crowd cheered her on, was basically insufferable, Shego decided. As Kim rounded third base their eyes met, and Kim's grin became even more insufferable.

"Nice hit, Governor Possible," she said to the girl as she ran past. "But just so you know, this game isn't over yet."

Ron came up to the plate next. Having just seen Kim hit a ball, he felt confident that he could do the same (and in fact he had never doubted that would be able to hit off Shego, not since the first pitch thrown). He hit a sound double and decided not to risk a dash to third.

After that, Kim's team was much better. They felt more confident, bolstered by Kim and Ron's example. By the top of the ninth inning, the score was 5 to 3, and Kim felt confident they could secure the win. The teams switched places for the final time and Kim readied herself between second and third. The first player hit a ball right at Kim and she scooped it up, easily getting the out. The second player was Shego.

She stepped up the plate and looked right at Kim. The look said it all. Shego wanted a battle. Right then. It was the look that Shego would have given her right before she would have pounced in an attack back in the old days. Only this time Kim knew in her heart that Shego would never start a fight, not with her at least, and not in public.

The whole game, Kim and Shego had continued to play their little game with each other, treating the business of the game very seriously, spitting on the ground and kicking dirt whenever possible. It was, Kim had to admit, the most fun she had had in a while.

Kim watched as Shego approached the plate, considered her angle, poised with the bat and took a practice swing. Even though she was putting on an act, Kim could still tell that Shego was having fun too. Kim knew that she and Shego were very similar, and she knew that Shego got the same kind of enjoyment out of this as she did. It was a type of humor that she developed from always being perceived as a super-human, which, of course, she was not. She developed ways of dealing with people, and one of them was to put up a veil, to become an actress, to fade into the crowd.

It was not only a useful skill, but it was also very fun.

Her eyes never left Shego. She didn't bother to watch as the pitcher threw the pitch, she just watched how Shego's body tensed, relaxed, and then tensed again as she swung.

"Here it comes," she thought, "here comes the competition I've been waiting for all night."

Only there was never any competition. The ball went out of the park, just as Kim's had done in the second inning.

Kim was shocked.

Luckily, Kim's team managed to prevent any more scoring, and her team took home the prize (blue ribbons—the losing team got red ribbons).

The news crews and the crowd dispersed and soon only the players remained, milling around and shaking hands with each other. "Good game," Kim told everyone she shook hands with. "And don't forget to vote," she added with a charming smile.

One man laughed robustly at that, saying, "What, for you?"

Kim held up her finger, her smile still charming and friendly. "Now, now Mr. Clements. I didn't say that. You could vote for the other guy if you wanted. Speaking of which, here she comes now." Shego joined the group and shook hands with the older man and they made introductions. Eventually he became intimidated by the two attractive ladies and said his goodbyes. Ron also took this opportunity to head off for the night. He had a date, he explained. After a hug from Kim and a short nod from Shego, he hopped in his car and drove off.

"Good game, Governor," Shego remarked, elbowing Kim lightly.

"Why thank you, Miss Shego."

They began to walk away from the crowd so they would be less noticed. They headed towards the street. Kim knew that both of their secret service guards would be tailing them. "That was a great homer in the second."

"Yours wasn't half bad either, although I thought for sure you were going to hit it my way or something," Kim admitted.

"I know you did," answered Shego slyly. "But I don't play like that any more, Kimmy. I don't fight just to fight; I fight to win. Hitting a homer was the best way to win." They walked in silence for a few more steps, and Kim realized that Shego was leading her somewhere.

"Just where do you think you're taking me," Kim asked, suddenly suspicious.

"Well, I figured that since we just had such a vigorous workout, you might be interested in cooling down a little." They rounded a corner and came to a water ice place. "You look like a lemon kind of girl. Am I right?"

"But of course! And you're obviously the bada-bing cherry type," the red-head countered, and they approached the window to order.

Strolling slowly and leisurely, enjoying the sunset, the two women walked around the town a little bit, mostly in silence, slurping their water ice. Finally Kim said, "You play a good ballgame," and Shego knew she was referring to their fake seriousness at the game. They both shared a laugh about it.

"You should see me when I play basketball," quipped Shego.

"You play basketball?"

Shego held up a finger. "But if anyone asks, I do not play basketball, I _shoot hoops_." She frowned when Kim snorted that this. "What?"

"Shoot hoops?" Shaking her head, Kim patted Shego lightly on the back and said, "Shego, you are definitely not cool any more."

Never had Shego looked more scandalized in her whole life. "Excuse me? Not cool?" She was practically spitting looking for the words to make Kim understand how not okay it was to say that. "I am the coolest person on this whole freaking planet!" she asserted.

Kim's hearty laughter was her only response.

"Oh, come on…" grumbled Shego, and she crossed her arms over her chest as Kim attempted to regain control of herself. Finally they had resumed their walking. Then Shego said, "I bet I could show you that I'm cool if you gave me the chance. I could take you to all the best night spots in town—take you drinking and dancing, you know the drift."

"Maybe someday," was Kim's response out loud, but inside Kim's brain she shouted, "Did she just ask me out on a date?!"

When the two ladies said goodnight, they shook hands politely and exchanged formal goodbyes. Once she was safely back in her limo and on her way home, Kim rested her forehead against the glass and sighed deeply. She could already tell that she would be thinking about that afternoon for a very long time. She knew herself well enough to know that she would go home and spend the rest of the night going over everything that was said and done, analyzing and examining. Then she would think about it every chance she could get from then on until…

Until the next time she met Shego.

Kim sighed. She was a woman obsessed. With a wry grin she thought about how much she had hated Shego in high school, and how different things between them had become since then. Her opinion of Shego had taken a complete 180.

"Welcome to the swing states," she muttered, and her secret service guards watched as she banged her head lightly on the window.


	8. 7: A Meeting in a Business Capacity

Chapter 7  
"A Meeting in a Business Capacity, or Riding Coattails"

* * *

It was two weeks later that Kim saw Shego again, and this time they didn't run into each other by accident.

Presidential candidates, as it turned out, could communicate with each other through their secret service agents. Sometimes the candidates had helpful information about a fundraiser for each other, or perhaps they had a business deal. It always came in handy to have means of contacting each other, just in case. Plus it promoted good sportsmanship.

It was through this governmental note-passing that a letter arrived for Kim. It was given to her in the limo by her head security guard on the drive back to the hotel after a banquet. It had been delivered to him by the head security guard of Vice President Marc Kennet, who happened to be present at the same banquet. From there, it was top-secret information as to where the note had come from. The only other thing known was that it had come from Shego.

Her curiosity piqued, Kim carefully opened the letter and read it. It was very short:

"Please join me for dinner on Saturday, September 17th. I have a business proposal for you.  
-Shego"

For once, Kim had no idea what to think.

Still, though, she knew immediately the answer to the invitation. She handed the note to her personal assistant to look at and said, "Clear the date."

* * *

Apparently the limo driver had received directions as to where to go, and after a few minutes of District driving, they arrived at the destination: an upscale fondue restaurant.

She was led into the very back of the restaurant, to a table that was completely secluded in a room of its own. This room had a fireplace and a big fake pine tree in it. Kim thought the fire was nice but the tree was rather tacky.

There at the table in the middle of the room was Shego, and she stood as Kim entered. "Hello, Kimmy," she greeted cheerfully.

"Hi, Shego. How are you?" answered Kim as they shook hands.

"Just fantastic. Yourself?"

"Oh, I'm great. A little run down but no worse for the wear." Kim settled down into her chair and placed her napkin on her lap. She was hungry and intended to eat well at this meal.

"I hear you." Shego sighed, also putting her napkin in place. One thing she had learned over her political career was table manners. It was an easy way to gain points with the higher-ups. "The campaigns are really flying by, huh?"

"Oh, I wouldn't say that. I'd say it's moving at the rate of a cliff-climber. A fight for every step, you know?" For once, Kim allowed herself to admit that she was tired. For some reason she felt safe admitting it to Shego—probably because she knew Shego was feeling it herself.

And Shego nodded, as Kim knew she would. "Yes. It's not for the weak of heart."

They eat their meals, enjoying the company and the small talk. They spoke of policy and legislation. Kim discovered that the only thing Shego was conservative about was the economy—everything else found her left of the center.

Their plates were collected. There was a pause, and then Shego caught Kim's eyes for a long moment. "I said I have a business proposal for you in my note. I have brought you here for a reason." Suddenly very serious, she stated, "I'm dropping out, Kim."

The air left Kim's lungs.

"I've never been the leader. I've always been the sidekick. And I'm comfortable in that role. Above all things I am loyal, especially when the one I'm loyal to is deserving of me."

Her eyes took in Kim's expression, accepting and understanding her shock, but firm in her decision. "But you, Kimmy. You were born a leader." Her voice dropped, and Kim leaned in slightly to hear her. "I could follow a leader like you."

Again, Kim felt breathless.

Shego leaned back, carefully folding her napkin and placing it on the table before her. "Whether you take me as your vice or not, I'm still going to drop out. I'd still like to be a part of this government, but I understand if you decide to go with someone of your own party."

Finally, Kim gathered herself together and asked, "But why, Shego? Why are you dropping out?"

"It's like I said, Kimmy, I'm not a leader. But now the world knows I can be if I want. I know I've convinced them. And I know I've convinced you."

Kim nodded slowly. "You have." Then she quickly added, "But that doesn't mean I'll take you on. It's a real drag to have your second-in-command not agree with you about policy."

"I know. But I'm not worried. I know you'll make the right decision." Shego smirked at her.

"Ugh," Kim groaned, exasperated, "You still have that same insufferable grin."

Shego just chuckled.

"So are you really okay with dropping out?" Kim asked. She knew it must have been difficult for Shego to deny the tiny part of herself that still wanted to take over the world.

Shrugging, she sighed, "I guess. I mean I didn't really have any other choice."

"That's not true. Your other choice was to win."

"Well," Shego said slowly, smirking again, "There's still a chance of winning, just for a different office."

All Kim could do was smile and shake her head.

They left the restaurant and walked to the parking lot enjoying the night and the company. "I plan to make it public next week," Shego said, and Kim nodded.

"I'll have an answer for you by then."

"Good." They stopped between their two limos, the secret service agents prowling around keeping a strict eye out for people, per Shego's orders. "I'm glad you came tonight, Kimmy."

"So am I, Shego. I'm sorry to lose your competition. It's been really fun."

And then Shego smiled at her in a way that Kim had never seen before. It was true, heartfelt smile, and it was directed right at Kim. "The fun doesn't have to end here, Kim." Then she leaned down and gave her a kiss, a short, sweet, and lovely kiss that Kim enjoyed immensely and wished had gone on longer. They stepped back and regarded one another, and then Shego nodded at Kim, as if to say, "There you have it." Instead, she said, "Goodnight, Kim," with a firm but kind finality. She would not press the issue.

Kim smiled warmly and returned the nod. There we have it, indeed, she thought. "Goodnight, Shego."


	9. 8: The Great Compromise

Chapter 8  
"The Great Compromise"

* * *

The day after Kim and Shego's business meeting, the morning newscaster reported that, according to a recent ABC News online poll, Shego had overtaken Kim in the campaign race. Kim tried not to feel too down about it. It was sad that Shego finally overtook her and yet she had confided to Kim that she planned to drop out. 

As she nursed her morning cup of coffee in her campaign bus, Kim pondered the inevitable announcement and the events that would most likely take place after it was made. America would be confused. They would want an explanation. What would Shego say when asked directly about her reasons for dropping out?

Honestly, Kim wasn't even sure she understood. She knew that Shego wanted to serve under her, but surely that was not the only reason she had dropped out? It just wasn't enough. Becoming President would certainly have befitted Shego. Why give that up? Just to be a sidekick again? It seemed unlikely.

And then, there had been that kiss…

The bus started to break a little, and Kim knew they were stuck in morning traffic, as usual. Business hours are the same no matter where you go. Right now they were just outside New York City. After their business meeting in D.C., Kim had gotten on the bus and had been traveling ever since. The campaign train chugged on.

Suddenly a thought occurred to Kim.

With Shego out of the race, Kim had a clear shot at the Presidency. In fact… She had basically already won.

Kim leaned back in her chair, absorbing the thought.

"I'm going to be the President of the United States," she said to the empty room.

It was something she had been saying for decades. And now, she felt perfectly validated. She had worked towards her goal and it had been achieved. It was time to set a new goal: To be the best President she could possibly be.

She thought back on her long battle to get here, starting from battling Shego in her teenage years all the way up to her most recent battle with the same woman. Her whole life, the toughest fights were from Shego. She had always thought that Shego was capable of so much, if only she used her abilities for good instead of evil, and now she was being presented the chance to allow her to do just that.

In her heart, she knew the decision had already been made. It was made the second Kim had been presented with the proposal.

There were so many reasons to say yes.

Later, Ron visited her room in the back of the bus and they discussed everything, Kim telling him all the details of the conversations, and her own thoughts on the matter. She also told him, in a very quiet voice, about the kiss. And then, in an even quieter voice, she told him that she was going to take up Shego's offer.

"So what do you think?" she asked him finally, as she usually did.

He shrugged slightly. "I think it's a pretty good idea. You're too stiff and serious. We need Shego to lighten things up around here."

Kim wasn't sure whether to be offended or not. "You think I'm stiff?"

"Well I mean, you're not… vulgar."

"Um, what?" Kim was trying very hard not to laugh. "This is a bad thing?"

"I guess not, but all I'm saying is that it'll be nice to have Shego around to bring you out of your shell a little." Ron shook his head, trying to organize his thoughts. "Look, some people relax by laying outside on the beach. Some people punch a pillow or a wall. You, though, you're only relaxed when you're being challenged. You're too much of a go-getter. You have to be occupied or else you start to fall apart. This is something I have noticed about you over the years. And recently, with Shego, you've been more relaxed and together than I've seen you in a while."

His point made, he picked up his coffee and sipped it, adding, "I think that would be a great thing to have around for the next four years."

Kim's grin split her face, and she felt tears well up in her eyes. "The next four years…" she whispered reverently. "Ron…"

"I know, Kim," he interrupted, and he placed his hand on her arm. "Congratulations on your win, Madam President."

* * *

Shego made her announcement, stating that she was stepping back for "personal reasons." Kim made her own announcement the next day. She was pleased to announce that Shego would be joining her campaign as her Vice Presidential appointee. Of course it was mostly just ceremonial because the opposing candidates had no chance of winning, but Jack Roberts had taken up the Republican nomination, with Shannon Wilfried as his vice. The race would continue. 

Arrangements were made, and Shego was to meet up with Kim's tour bus in Kim's home town of Middleton. They would spend a few days there to come up with a working arrangement, something they could both agree upon without wanting to kill each other. Then they would set off on the campaign trail again, this time traveling and working together.

Kim could hardly wait. She could tell that the next few years were going to be the best in her entire life.

* * *

Monique received a call from Kim the day the news went public. They discussed the situation and what Kim had planned for the last two months of campaigning. And then Kim predicted (as Monique had) that the reporters would come to Monique for a statement. Kim advised her to just be truthful. 

And so she was. The next morning she sat in the studio of Good Morning America and faced the inquisition.

"So Miss Yates, what do you think about the recent working union between Governors Shego and Possible?"

"Honestly, I think it's wonderful. We all know what these two women are capable of on their own, and now that they're working together, well, I think nothing but good can come of it."

"That assumes that Governor Possible is willing to do the right thing. Some people think Shego may be making her act otherwise."

This angered Monique. "Excuse you? Listen, Kim Possible is the biggest do-gooder you'll ever meet. She exists on this planet to help those who cannot help themselves. Maybe you didn't notice this, but _Shego_ is the one who dropped out, not Kim. Shego is the Vice President. And that woman would never take second-best without a fight."

"Do you think Governor Shego was being honest in regards to her reasons for dropping out?"

Monique pondered this for a moment. "Well, I think we were lied to by omission. There's something she's not telling it. But I don't think it's anything bad. I think we should just let it go for now. We'll ask her again once she's the Vice President."

The conversation turned to the election, and Monique relaxed back into being just another White House correspondent, instead of the reporter who knew the candidates personally.


End file.
